Mike Crimmins Dept. of Soil, Water, & Env. Science & Arizona Cooperative Extension The University of Arizona Mike Crimmins Dept. of Soil, Water, & Env. Science & Arizona Cooperative Extension The University of Arizona AZ DroughtWatch: Arizona’s Drought Impact Reporting System

Overview Arizona Drought Preparedness Plan Governor’s Drought Task Force Developing a drought impact reporting system for Arizona Arizona DroughtWatch

Arizona Drought Preparedness Plan Coordinated effort led by ADWR to monitor drought, recommend actions to Governor and provide planning support to citizens of Arizona Plan works to empower local communities to develop drought plans and mitigation strategies Sustained focus on issue through wet and dry cycles

AZ Governor’s Drought Task Force: Organizational Structure Monitoring & Preparedness Governor’s Office & Cabinet Monitoring Committee Interagency Coordinating Group Local Drought Impact Groups (LDIGs) Mitigation & Response Arizona Department of Water Resources Assessment & Adaptation From ADWR 2006

Developing a drought impact reporting system for AZ Drought impact observations critical for properly characterizing drought conditions; assessing vulnerability MTC and LDIGs identified need for tool to facilitate collection and synthesis of impact observations Initial effort was a hardcopy impact checklist adapted from Colorado Drought Plan; iteratively adjusted with feedback from LDIGs, MTC, and ICG Request for transition to web-based tool

Project Sponsors and Partners Arizona USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center University of Arizona-SAHRA Arizona Department of Water Resources - Drought Program University of Arizona Climate Assessment for the Southwest University of Arizona Office of Arid Lands Studies - Arizona Remote Sensing Center University of Arizona Cooperative Extension National Drought Mitigation Center Governor’s Drought Task Force

Development Steps Temporary, form-based system (v1.0) deployed for testing in early 2007 Feedback from LDIGs and MTC = focus group meetings, teleconference meetings, and communications (refining impact survey and developing system design) ‘Mock up’ system used to gain feedback on system design, features, and general structure  continued interaction with LDIGs and agency partners to guide development process Iterative development based on feedback Recruitment and Training

Meetings and Workshops Yavapai County (Aug 2007, May 2008) Navajo County (Dec. 2007) Pima County (July 2007, Jan 2008, May 2008, November 2008) Cochise County (June 2008, November 2008) Santa Cruz County (July 2007) Graham/Greenlee Counties (June 2007, May 2008) Pinal County (May 2007, Oct. 2007, Aug. 2008) Mohave County (October 2008) AAEA (Dec 2007), Tucson CWAC (June 2008), MWS (07-08), County Extension Directors (June 2008), National Drought Monitor Mtg (Oct 2007),GDTF-MTC (March 2008,July 2008), GDTF-ICG (Oct. 2007), AZ State Lands (Jan 2008), AZ-NRCDs (February 2009) communications, teleconferences and feedback worksheet – Oct 2007-July 2008

AZ DroughtWatch

What is a drought impact? Drought –Cumulative precipitation deficits over a period of time –Normal, recurrent climatic phenomena Drought Impact –Direct impacts to biophysical or environmental systems that rely on water from precipitation (e.g. riparian areas or rangelands) –Indirect impacts result from economic and social connections to systems impacted directly (e.g. agricultural production) Adapted from National Drought Mitigation Center, What is Drought?

Why monitor for drought impacts? Better characterization of drought in a complex environment –Drought declarations and disaster assistance –Coordination with national drought monitoring products Limited hydro-climatological network in Arizona for drought monitoring Impact information can be used for local-level vulnerability assessments and drought planning/mitigation

What does it take to observe drought impacts? Field expertise (for some impacts) –Need to be able to differentiate between ‘normal’ condition and impact related to drought (e.g. Is vegetation dead or just dormant?) –Differentiate between new and old impacts Frequent observations of drought sensitive areas and systems Interest in tracking down information and local expertise to isolate a new drought impact

Arizona Drought Impacts Water Resources and Hydrology Agricultural Impacts (food crops, cash crops, and aquaculture) Livestock Production and Grazing Land Impacts Societal and Community Impacts Tourism and Recreation Impacts Ecological Impacts

AZ DroughtWatch

Registration

Add Impact Reports

Access Reports

General Summary Report

Access Reports

Detailed Summary Report

Support and Training Materials PDF User Guide Impact Checklist Quick Reference Guide Web-based Training Videos Drought Impact Field Training Guide

Recruiting drought impact observers Who is missing (agencies, organizations, key observers)? What areas of the state are not covered? What sectors in the state are not covered? What data sources can be accessed for impact information? How can we train interested volunteers (e.g. proxy observers)?

Thanks!

Water Resources and Hydrology Surface water –water levels in ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers –water hauling needs due to limited water resources Groundwater –water levels at long-term monitoring sites; referenced to historical data –changes to wells (new wells or deepening needed)

Agricultural Impacts Cash and food crops, aquaculture Soil impacts: erosion, soil fertility Crop impacts: plant stress/mortality, productivity, disease, insects/herbivory Ag-related water resources: increased irrigation, supplemental water

Livestock Production and Grazing Land Impacts Soil impacts: erosion, soil fertility/degradation Forage/vegetation impacts: range productivity, plant diversity, forage quality, herbivory, drought-wildfire impacts Livestock health: mortality, fattening rates, predation, supplemental feed, herd numbers Rangeland water resources: stock pond levels, supplemental water

Societal and Community Impacts Conflicts over water resources Property value impacts Unemployment, business closures Property damage Impacts to community water systems

Tourism and Recreation Public land/park closures (lack of water, wildfire) Impact on tourist visitation numbers Direct impacts on key local tourism/recreation activities (e.g. fishing, boating) Indirect impact on hunting licenses due to land closures

Ecological Impacts Arizona ecosystems: Forest/woodlands, grasslands/chapparal, desert Plant species and community impacts: plant stress, mortality, phenological changes, wildfire, invasive species Aquatic species: habitat changes, direct impacts on health Terrestrial species: habitat changes, direct impacts on health Credit: D. Allen, U.S. Geological Survey